This guy doesn't even run dogs!! How much MORE AND QUICKER do you think they can come after us with their NAZI-like techniques?
THEY HAVE TO BE STOPPED!!!!!!!! THE ONLY WAY IS TO DO IT, IS FOR EVERYONE TO SAY THEY'VE HAD ENOUGH OF IT AND PROTEST AGAINST AND GET RID OF THESE IDIOTS IN OFFICE!!!!
Irv
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Note: A Defense Fund bank account is being set up on Monday. I suggested a Pay Pal account being set up. (Diane)
In a message dated 3/1/2008 2:46:42 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
sallymaxwell2@msn.com writes:
and let's hope not! Below is an email from a long time friend of mine who
has English Setters and does a bit here and there of handling. Bob has been
extremely active in All Setter Rescue for a long time - even before it was
consider a problem. A bit of background before you read his email .. about 18
months ago, Bob and Melissa (who he's lived with forever), purchased the
house next door to their's. More as a tax deduction as their house had been paid
off some years before. At some point in time, the City of Littleton changed
the number of MAMMALS (to include dogs, cats, gerbils, etc.) on one property
and didn't grandfather Bob in. So with the purchase of the house next door,
Littleton just freaked out a bit and then revised the law again stipulating
if you owned two properties within the city limits the maximum was to still
be THREE. So they started hasseling Bob and he kept on his normal low key way
of dealing with it, but knew he had to purchase property away from the metro
area. He would have been out earlier, but it is a bit hard to get fencing
up in the winters around here. So from here, you can read Bob's email:
***********************************************************************
Hi All,
Thought that I better touch base and let you know that I am still out here
and, as yet, not in jail (but of course working on it).
As you know, Littleton broke into both of my houses in Littleton on February
15, 2008, after making sure that I was not there, and took one adult dog out
of one and three adult dogs and four 9 week puppies out of the other.
Bashed the front door in with a battering ram used for drug raids, to get at the
one dog, and broke into a back door on the other house and then broke blinds,
screens, etc., in order to hand the dogs and puppies out through the window
of the second house. All this with four police cars, at least six patrolmen,
two animal control trucks (Littleton only has one), animal control officers.
As told me by my neighbors, there were zoning and other people, while my
neighbors watched in horror as to what was happening.
I need to note again here that there are no known complaints about me and/or
my dogs, or number of dogs, from my neighbors.
The day before, I finally told the city that I had the place out at
Strasburg (actually said that it was 60 miles away as they wanted the complete
address) and that all dogs would be moved out there by Monday night February 18th.
This appeared to be okay with them and a meeting was set up for 10 am
Tuesday, February 19th. with animal control to verify. That was my mistake because I
allege that they then went back to City Hall and laid out the plans for the
raid the next day. The Court then called an emergency hearing for Friday
morning and left a phone message for me to attend, knowing full well I would be
at the Denver shows. When I did not show up as directed, I was declared a
fugitive and they proceeded with their raid.
They actually staked out my house (according to one neighbor on the corner
where they saw their car parked) and waiting until they saw me leave with
three dogs to go to the show that day. They had verified the day before that I
was going to be at the shows all four days. After I left, they attempted
entry, and then went back to the judge for a forcible entry warrant, which they
exercised about 4 pm that afternoon. Quite a show and very upsetting for my
neighbors who witnessed it.
Melissa came to the house about 6 pm to check on the pups as I was still at
the show (going Best Brace in Show with two of my mistreated, neglected and
abused 8-1/2 year old English setters; Pig & Joe). I can only imaging her
horror finding the houses broken into and the dogs and puppies gone. Freaked her
out and she could not reach me because my cell was off at the show. She
caught up with me at the show just after I had finished getting my show photos
shot.
The paperwork that she found at the houses demanded that I bring to the city
the 3 dogs that I had taken to the show. Of course they expected I would do
this immediately but instead they went home with me to Strasburg. The
paperwork they left also had the judge's orders that the dogs taken (plus the
three at the show) were not to be returned to me, my agents, or anyone that
might be suspected of being a straw buyer/adopter for me.
The shelter where they were taken is the same one that was in trouble last
fall with the State Attorney General. It cannot and allegedly has not passed
minimum state standards (PACFA) for a number of years. It was here that the
city felt that the dogs seized would be safer than with me even though the
city had canceled their contract with the shelter last fall Almost all other
public contracts with this shelter have been canceled. It should be noted
here that the animal control officer for Littleton, used to work for Colorado
Humane Society, and before that worked 11 years in animal control in San
Diego, California.
Try finding a criminal defense attorney (especially a good one) on a Friday
night before a three day holiday. Also note that this raid was done late on
a Friday afternoon before a 3 day Holiday where no City Offices would be open
until Tuesday.
I was fortunate and well taken care of by friends in the rescue side of the
dogs, and by 9:30 am Saturday morning I was talking to my lead attorney on
the phone. I met with both of my attorneys at the show on Sunday. They
prepared the Emergency Motion On Illegal Seizure Of Property that I believe I sent
to you last week. They also contacted the shelter where the dogs had gone.
By Tuesday morning, all involved city departments and the shelter were put
on notice that we were coming. My lead attorney, Susan Martin, came highly
recommended by the prosecutors and others in the Denver District Attorney's
office.
We could not tell if an arrest warrant had actually been issued, so I
started staying out at the Strasburg house Friday night and each night since.
To make this short, we ended up getting a 3 pm emergency court hearing on
Friday, February 22 with the city. Our priorities were to get the dogs back;
then keep me out of jail; then deal with the charges, etc., and then get mad.
When they offered to return the dogs in pre-hearing negotiating, we jumped
at it. As a consequence, I had to agree to a number of outrageous terms
including; 3 year deferred jail time, up to $3,000 in fines, $1,000 board and care
costs on the dogs, 3 years unannounced access to my houses and I cannot be
caught with a dog anywhere within the city limits (not even my vet's office).
Also required a professional inspection of my Strasburg place, and that I
must plead guilty to all charges brought against me. Hell of a price to pay to
get my dogs back, but the only way, as they were holding them ransom so that
my motion against them would not see the light of day in their court. Then
for good measure, they added a number of additional charges/violations (mostly
bogus) against my properties based on everything from the city codes to the
International Property Maintenance Code (?). Most all of these violations
are unspecified and are for failure to remove outdoor storage and rubbish, and
failure to maintain plumbing, a clean and sanitary structure and maintain
interior surfaces. We begin the fight on these tomorrow morning at 10:30 am.
They have been inspecting both houses in Littleton since September 6, 2006 and
now bring these additional charges. In my opinion, these charges are being
brought in reaction to my bringing an attorney to the table, as this has
happened before.
I emphasize, that no abuse, neglect, or cruelty charges have ever been
brought against me, none at all, in the previous years of ongoing inspections.
These claims were used by the city to justify their seizing of my dogs for their
own health and safety. However, if they thought that they could prove such
charges, I am sure that they would not hesitate in bringing them forward.
That should say something for their strength, or lack of strength in their case
and arguments against me.
The important thing is that I do have the pups and dogs back and I am not in
jail. Pups and dogs are doing good, primarily because they were a good
healthy state when seized. The puppies were down considerably in weight and body
tone, and dehydrated, but they have responded well since I got them back
Friday night. All were over medicated, including shots, if the reports that I
was given on them are correct. The adults received DVM care, but the puppies
were not seen by a vet. The report is dated February 22nd., the day they were
released to my agents. The puppies were kept at Mary Warren's house in
Conifer {SALLY: GOOGLE Mary Warren & Colorado Humane Society} If we can get to
next Monday or so without anyone getting sick, we should be okay on the short
term as far as catching something from the shelter and captivity.
Over 45 people attended the hearing last Friday in support of me against the
city. Someone started passing the hat for financial help, and $865 was
collected. All sides of the dog game (showing/breeding, rescue, and welfare)
were represented. This was put together in less than 40 hours notice.
Channel 7 news video team showed up and videoed after the hearing in the
court lobby and at the location where I met with the recovered pups and dogs. I
was not allowed to go to the shelter to claim them; only my attorneys,
Melissa and other supporters to help with getting the dogs and transporting them
to where they would meet up with me and the press. The bill to have them
released was $1,100. My attorney had to call the Englewood police (two cars) to
come out and enforce the court order to release the dogs to her. She also has
filed assault charges against Mary Warren's husband, Bob, and other charges
against Mary, with the cities of Englewood and Littleton, Arapahoe County, and
the state attorney's office. She was pissed.
Sadly, it's not over yet, but at least I have the dogs back, and I am not in
jail. Littleton has started damage control with a press release, but is
still having to answer to complaints from citizens and non-citizens. It has
been given to all the major TV stations in Denver but so far has not been aired
that I know of. It is coast to coast on the Internet and is getting put into
dog related publications' web sites. A defense fund is being set up to help
defray my legal expenses, something that was recommended by those in
attendance at the hearing.
My cell phone does not work well out here in the country, and of course I am
not around Littleton much anymore except to begin moving from the residences
there to here. The best number now to reach me at (after trying my cell) is
303-622-4488, and of course by email.
Sorry about the length of this.
Sincerely,
Bob
AND THIS IS FROM AN EMAIL THAT BOB SENT TO ME THIS MORNING ...
After the dogs were seized 2/15, I made the decision that I had to just go
really public about what has been going in Littleton the past 18 plus months.
I hoped for some reaction and support, but never expected or fore saw how
this has taken off and all of the support offered. To walk in that packed
court room on the 22nd really blew me away, and I felt bad that I was having to
plea bargain such a bad deal just to get my pups back. Susan (my lead
attorney) and I had decided at our first meeting the priorities were, first to get
the pups/dogs back or at least safe; second to keep me out of jail; third to
rectify/overturn/correct what had been coming down; and fourth, get angry and
revenge. We did not really believe that we could get the kids, but thought
keeping me out of jail was possible. Appeal to higher court would have to
take care of #3, and #4 would have to been in civil court and the arena of
public outrage toward Littleton and the Littleton Municipal Court.
Susan & Ruthann put together an excellent 17 page motion and off to races we
went. When Katz (the short prosecutor) offered return of the kids, I felt
that I had no choice to but bargain to that end, whatever it would cost me.
Thus we both won; I got my kids back and Katz could continue to exact his
revenge on my head and succeed in his original goal of running me out of town.
So I am still Littleton Public Enemy Number Uno, but the pups and adults
seized, plus the rest of my beasts are safe in Strasburg (often referred to as
"Defoe") for at least the time being.
Now, without Katz being able to hold my kids for ransom, Susan, Ruthann,
Melissa, and I can get mad. It is now my turn, but it is going to costly
emotionally and financially. Katz has now moved toward condemning my two houses in
Littleton, and, as of yesterday, filed charges against Melissa who now has a
court date 3/12 to answer the charges revolving around 6519 {SALLY: for
trash on the lawn!} I am due back in court 3/26 I believe.
Enough of the soapbox. Thanks for your help and support. This should be
interesting, but it is needed to protect us all. If they can come after me
this way, they can go after anyone in dogs.
